Used kitchen oil will be utilized for biodiesel producution

Week in Slovakia

Case study: Exploring the potential of used kitchen oil in Slovakia

Despite its existing potential, used kitchen oil is not being utilized as it could be for production of biodiesel. The pilot project of two companies, Slovnaft and RestOil want to create conditions for Slovak citizens to enable them to sell their used kitchen oil at selected fuel stations. Michal Šingliar from Slovnaft informed about the project on the conference „Recycling wastes 2011”.

Collecting used kitchen oil has according to Šingliar great potential in Slovakia. The used material is normally poured into canalisations and it then pollutes sewers and tubes. „An average adult in Slovakia produces around 5 kilograms of used kitchen oil a year,” informed Šingliar. The main obstacles today are the legislative holes and last, but not least a low level of environmental thinking of citizens.

The technology for biodiesel production from mixed oils (fresh or used) does not differ from the standard production. However, great attention needs to be paid to the quality of the input material, so that the biodiesel fulfils all the strict legislative requirements. Šingliar also noted that recycling used oils from households is financially favourable.

 From end of May 2011 it will be possible to hand in used kitchen oil at selected gas stations of Slovnaft. The aim is to increase the awareness of people about the possibility of ecological recycling of used vegetable oils, said Peter Cmar from RestOil. „We will begin our project on 21st May at the station on Bajkalská street in Bratislava and the pilot project will last for 12 months.”

Monday – 11th April 2011

The total net profit of the company Hornonitrianské bane Prievidza, a.s. was 2,6 million Euro, which is 27 % more than the net profit in 2009. The total revenues reached 127,8 million Euro. The mining  groups in three mining sections – mines Cigeľ, Handlová and Nováky extracted more than two million tons of coal. The share of Hornonitrianské bane on the total sales of coal in Slovakia is 72 %.

Slovenský plynárenský priemysel, a.s. (SPP) opened another public gas station for compressed natural gas (CNG) in Komárno. The station is also the first one, which was placed at a „classic” fuel station belonging to Slovnaft. „We believe that our pilot project of placing the CNG station at a fuel station with classical fuels in Komárno will be successful and our cooperation with Slovnaft will continue,” said Ľubomír Blaško director of the section for CNG sales in SPP. At the beginning of this month SPP has also finished installation of a CNG station in Nové Mesto nad Váhom. The tanking capacity of the station in Komárno is 160 m3/h and 350 m3/h in the one in Nové Mesto nad Váhom. Refuelling a CNG car should therefore take approximately the same time as refuelling diesel or petrol.

Tuesday – 12th April 2011

The state expects that in the upcoming three years it will redeem dividends from management of Slovak Electricity and Transmission Network, a.s. (SEPS) and the  Nuclear and Decommissioning Company, plc (JAVYS) at a volume of 11,2 million Euro. As the material of the Ministry of Finance SR of proposed measures aimed at improving management of the companies where the state is the  only owner reveals, SEPS should pay the state 4,4 million Euro in dividends within the period of 2011 and 2013 a JAVYS the remaining 6,8 mill. Euro. 

Wednesday – 13th April 2011

A new biogas station could be built near the town Moldava nad Bodvou. The civic association Separe want to build the biogas station in the cadaster of Buzica. Investments in the project could reach 2 to 4 million Euro, depending on the technology chosen by the investor. The total installed capacity of the station will not be more than 1 MW and construction works should start in 2013. The biogas for electricity and heat generation will be produces in the station from agricultural materials such as corn silage, chopped straw, manure or chicken droppings and the electricity should be sold to Východoslovenská energetika, a.s.

Company RWE Gas Slovensko will supply Slovak households with natural gas. The company sees a positive development in the field of price regulations in Slovakia and thus RWE Gas Slovensko has decide to enter the market with gas supplies for households. The company, which is part of the supranational German concern RWE, want to offer Slovak households a 12 % discount during the first year. Previously RWE Gas Slovensko was only selling gas to large companies. In this sector the share of the company is already 25 % on the market. In the field of retailers it has a 8 % share. RWE is on the Slovak market already since 2008, but it did not sell gas to households. As Miroslav Kulla, director of RWE Gas Slovensko explained, „only a year ago we were not thinking about entering this market dues to the intensive price regulation from the side of the Regulatory Office for Network Industries. Now we do see that the market is easing a bit.”

Thursday – 14th April 2011

The government has approved the law on permanent storage of CO2 into geological formations. The technology of carbon capture and storage offers new possibilities for lowering its production and according to the Ministry of environment it will become a completely new item for trading. „By adopting the European directive on geological storage of CO2 into our law, we have joined to global efforts in minimizing the negative consequences of climate change,” stated Minister of Environment József Nagy. 

Friday – 15th April 2011

Starting off in July another company wants to enter the Slovak market and offer electricity to households. The company United Energy Trading also wants to offer natural gas supplies for households in the upcoming year. „Electricity supplies for households in Slovakia are currently in the preparatory phase,” stated Ladislav Sladký, director of sales and marketing. „Gas supplies will be firstly offered to customers such as companies and we do not have a date for this yet.” The company gets electricity from its own sources. Some of the current clients of United Energy Trading are hotels Kempinski, SES Tlmače, Heineken, Brewery Steiger or Gorenje.

Slovakia could become an exporter of nuclear energy in Asia. After India, Vietnam might also use Slovak services in the field of nuclear energy. „We are interested in cooperating mainly in the field of trade, nuclear energy, building infrastructure, environment, etc.,” informed Slovak Ministry of Economy after the visit of Minister Miškov in Vietnam. Indian Minister of Defence Pall Rajo also expressed his interest in cooperating in the sector. According to Rajo, India plans to increase the share of nuclear energy by 50 %. „Slovakia has years of experience with nuclear energy and therefore it should be a good and useful partner,” informed the Ministry of Economy.

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